von frankenberg



A. VON FRANKENBERG WATERPROOF RECEPTACLE Fued Ju1y 2o, 1928l Nov. 19, 1929.

m m m m m Patented Nov. 19, 1929 UNITED STATES ARTHUR VON FRANKENBERG, GF NEW YORK, N. Y.

WATERPROOF ELECEPTACLE Application filed July 20,

This invention relates to waterproof receptacles for cigarettesor other articles, Or the like, especially designed for use by bathers or others where it is important that the case should be proof against the entrance of any moisture thereinto, which would damage the cigarettes, matches, facial powders, or cosmetics, or other contents. The receptacle may however have other uses.

Among the objects of the invention is the provision of a device of the characterde scribed, which will faithfully serve its purpose, be simple in design and operation and economical in construction, including a waterproof casing, a tight closing means, and

leverage for actuating it, so that the casing may be watertight when closed, and means for ejecting the cigarettes or other contents into position to be withdrawn when wanted, said ejecting means operating simultaneously'with the opening of the case.

Other objects of this invention will in part be obvious and in part hereinafter pointed out.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combination of elements, and arrangement of parts which will be exemplified in the construction hereinafter described, and of which the scope of application will be indicated in the following claims.

In the accompanying drawing, in which is shown one of the various possible illustrative embodiments of my invention,

Fig. l is a front elevation of a waterproof receptacle or case embodying the invention, shown in closed position;

'Fig 2 is a similar front elevation of the case shown open with the cover lifted, the

cover-actuating handle reversed, and a group of cigarettes projected outwardly a short distance above their normal inner position so as to be easily withdrawn from the case;

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the device in the position shown in Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a cross-section on the lines 4, 4, of Fig. 6, the case being closed;

Fig. 5 is a cross-section on the line '5, 5, of Fig. 2 on an enlarged scale;

Fig. 6 is a cross-section on the line 6, 6, 50 of Fig. l on an enlarged scale; and

1928. Serial No. 284,093.

Fig. 7 is a detail edge view of certain parts operating with the pivoted handle. l i

Referring in detail to the drawing, the hollow receptacle or case l is usually a solid tight water-proof box-like device, which can 5.5 be opened only at one end, preferably at 2, where it is provided with a removable but non-detachable cover 8, operated in opening' and closing` by a pivoted handle and leverage mechanism connecting the handle with the cover. lf desired, the case 1 'may be provided with a loop 2a through which a bathers belt may pass.

This case 1 may hold cigarettes or other smoking material, or matches, or cosmetics '65 andV other facial preparations, or small change and the usual contents of a purse, or in fact, any of a long list 0f articles, and may be of any desired shape, and flat of any degree of thickness or thinness to provide a handy case and 'accommodate therein a suitable number of articles. l

The invention as here illustrated is applied y to a case l for receiving a package of commercial cigarettes 5, wrapped in the usual paper covering, of which A is one side and B the other side, the side B being broken away near the top so that a few of the cigarettes may be removed from the package and replaced by a card of matches 6, whose flap engages the outside of paper'covering as shown in Figures 3,' 4, and 5.

This package 5, so enclosed in its voriginal paper wrapper, with match card 6 clasping same, is inserted into anr innerA holder,'composed of two parallel sides 8, 8, and an in'- tegral bottom 9 provided'withan underneath flat spring l() riveted centrally thereto by a rivet l1. The sides f8 are parallel to the narrow sides of case l, andthey are not connected by any members except the bottom 9.

This inner holder for the cigarettes or other articles fits inside of an inner frame somewhat similar thereto, having sides 7 and an integral bottom 7a. The bottom 7 a rests on the bottom Of the case l; and the holder spring y10 rests on said bottom 7a; while sides 7 are parallel to sides 8. Thus the cigarette holding device has a slight endwise movement within the inner frame, because the sides 8 are adapted to project beyond the edge of open end 2 when the cover 3 is ott" but are forced back into flush relation with the edge of opening 2 when the cover is closed. (See Figures 4 and 5.) When the sides 8 are so forced back llush with edge of opening 2, the spring 10 is compressed against the bottom piece 7nl of the inner frame. Hence spring 1() functions to lift the holder and the cigarette package slightly so as to project the ends of the individual cigarettes beyond mount 2 into a position where, they can be easily taken hold of and separately extracted when the cover 3 is lifted away from opening 2 for the purpose of affording access t0 the contents; and the matches may also be projected forward.

`Whiile the holding frame is movable, and capable of longitudinal projection and retraction,` the inner trame is secured in a relatively stationary position in the outer case 1, with its bottom piece resting on the bottom o-:tfcase l, ,and its sides 7 spaced at 12 a short distance from the narrow sides of case 1, and with the outer ends of sides 7 flush with the edge of opening 2, these said spaces 12 being narrow but wide enough to contain certain levers and other parts used to operate the cover 3. The spaces 12 at the ends nearest cover 3 are lilled with tubes or perforated blocks 13 that are rigidly brazed, soldered, or otherwise securely fastenedv therein with their outer ends il'ush with ed-ge of opening 2. In the tubular members 13 are placed the sliding headed rods 26, 26, for the purpose here inafter to appear. Thus the members 13 atford guides for rods 26, and they assist in enabling the outer case 1 and inner frame 7 and 7 to be iixedly combined together in. a. spaced relation that insures the narrow spaces 12 :between their walls.

The rest of the mechanism for opening and closing the cover 3 will now be described. A rectangular handle member, similar to a. bail pieceand having a handle proper or cross bar 4, which is parallel to cover 3, is provided with integral parallel arms 4a, 4a, which lie near andare moved alongside of the sides of case 1. The ends of arms 4a of this rectangular handle member are rigidly secured to studs 18 by pins 19, said studs ieing mounted rotatably in the wall of case 1 as shown in Fie. 7. l

he handle is adapted when lifted to cause itsbar 4 toengage a. rabbet or shoulder 3a on ,cover 3 when the latter is closed tightly over the casingentrance 2, see Figure 1; and bar 4 `is provided with a thumb projection 4b to enable bar 4 to `be more readily disengaged from rabbet 3 when the parts are interlocked.

' Each stud 18 has thereon a washer 20 outside case 1 vand betwen the case and arm 4a, as shown in Fig. 7. Also inside case 1 each stud has thereon a fiat washer and contiguous thereto a convex washer 30, the latter bearing against the plate or arm 21 secured on the inner end of stud 18. Said washers are preterably used to space the parts to give free and easy movement, but also to associate them tightly enough together to prevent any leakage in the bearings. The plates or arms 21 at points sufliciently iar from studs 18 are pivo'ted to links 22 by pivots 23, and the links 24 are pivoted by suitable pivots 27 to the rods 26, which rods 26 slide in the tubular guides 13 and the links 24 or a portion thereof also enter and operate in tubes 13, see Figuros 4 and 6.

lTurning now to the cover 3, it will be noted that it is in the form et a hollow box lid and contains at or near the lower edge a flat strip of rubber, gutta-percha, or similar suitable elastic material 14 fitted closely in the cover;

next a parallel brass strip 15 soldered or se cured at its end tothe cove-r; and next a parallel steel spring strip 16 that rests on a small central hump or ulcrum 17 on the brass member 15, on which hump 17, as a bearing the spring 16 is flexed at each end when the cover is tightly closed. F or the cover 3 and the inner members just mentioned are wholly under the control ot the handle 4 and the levers and links and other parts that connect the handle with these devices. The immediate connection ot the two systems of levers and links on the two sides of the case is made by the rods 26 which pass through holes in the strips or pieces 114, 15, and 16, near the opposite ends of these strips, see Figure 4, and carry at their ends the heads 28 which lie within the cover contiguo-us to spring 16, on which they bear more or less tightly when the boi: is open, but bear strongly when the leve-rs close the cover and thus bend the spring near each end so that the rubber strip 14 may be Jforced securely and tightly against the edge ot' the open-ing 2 all around and thus insure an absolutely watertight and impermeable joint between the closed cover and the box.

The rubber member 14 lits closely within the cover 3 at all times so that it may snugly grip the cover and keep the parts in right relation, and when thecover is closed the rubber piece 14 seats itself very snugly on the edge of the case 1 at opening 2, the ends 'of the tubular inserts 13 and on the adjoining ends ol the parts 7 of the inner trame, while the edge of cover 3 slightly overlaps the end of. case 1 like any ordinary thin boi; lid 'to assist in further making the joint absolutely tight. The face ot' rubber member 14 is also provided with a rectangular metallic plate 29 held thereon by screws, pins, or other attaching means, which pass through rubber 14 and brass piece 15, see Figure 4. This plate 29 is ot a rectangular shape and ofprecisely the size to lit between the ends oit frame 7, 7, and the sides of case l', but opposite to the ends 8, 8, of the movable holder. Thus when the cover closes the plate 29 strikes against the outwardly projecting ends 8, 8, and forces the movable holder and elements carried thereby back into the case, and at the same time the plate 29 lits down between the ends of frame sides 7, 7. This position of plate 29 causes it to serve as a stay or support to keep thesides or ends of the case 1 from buckling or bending inwardly in the event of any undue pressureI at these points which might otherwise disturb the correct relations of these parts. The position of these members when the cover is open is very clearly indicated in Fig. 5.

If handle 4 is in the position shown in Fig ures 1 and 4, with the cover closed, and it is then disengaged from the rabbet 3a where it serves to lock the cover closed, and is turned down into the position that it and connected parts take in Figures 2 and 5, the result will be to cause the two lines of interpivoted links and levers 21, 22, 24, and 26 to extend themselves vertically and longitudinally, the rods 26 rising through the tubular bearings 13 and carrying cover 3 and parts 14, 15, and 16 with them, until the pivots 27 arrive at a noint immediately above the bearings 13. When this happens, there will be nothing to hold up the rods 26 as they will be entirely out of bearings 13, and so the weight of cover 3 and parts inside will cause the latter to fall over back on one side or the other as shown in Figure 5, where the cover is on one side out of the way, and the case is open with free access to its contents. The release at this time of the eect of plate 29 on the ends of the holder combined with the eXpansion of the holder spring 10 lifts the holder and its cigarettes outwardly into a convenient accessible position, the sides 8 extending outwardly beyond the edge of opening 2.

The reverse operation is readily understood. As soon as the needed portion of the contents of the case are taken out of the open case, the user. especially if he be a bather, will wish to instantaneously close the case. The device lends its aid immediately to such a quick closing, for the only act required. is to lift the handle 4 back into the position shown in Figure 1; and in so doing the series of links and levers spring into action as before, lirst bringing the cover 3 forward over the end 2 by straightening up the headed rods and causing them to enter and travel through the tubularbearings 13; then as the handle l continues to be lifted the lines of links and levers draw the cover 3 down and tightly over the end of the case, the headed rods bend the steel spring on the hump, the `cigarettes retreat into the case as their holder is forced back by the strain of plate 29 on their eX- posed side end 8, and the rubber pad is sealed y closely all around and against the end of the case; while plate 29 fits down in the confining edges of the inner frame and the sides of the case to brace and sustain as I have explained; all operatingto produce a successful waterproof closure. I have referred to the boX- lid 3 as the cover, but as a part of the same we must recognize always the several strips which make up the clamping seal and which are also part of the covering means and are connected to the lid particularly by the soldering of the brass plate 15V inside lid 3, but it will be understood thatso long as the waterproof sealing remains eifective, the lid 3 may be greatly modified vor dispensed with, and the several other features inside lid 3 may be modied and changed as may be approved in actual practice. I reserve also the right to make many other changes in the parts wit-hin the scope of the ensuing claims.

Having thus described my invention I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent-:-

1. In an article of the class described, the combination with a case having an opening at one end, of waterproof closing means therefor including plural clamping'members, a cover enclosing same, an operating handle, and interpivoted members connecting the handle with the clamping members.

' 2. In an article of the class described, the

combination with a case having an'end open ing, of waterproof closing means therefor including a cover, a rubber pad therein, a clamping spring, an operating handle, rods engaging the spring, and means for recipro eating said rod, said means being actuated by the operating handle.

3. In an article of the class described, the combination with a case having an end opening, of waterproof closing means therefor, including a cover, a rubber pad fitting closely within the edge of the same, a metallic plate secured within the cover adjoining the rubber pad and having a hump, a clamping spring which bends over the hump, an eX- ternal handle, and means connected therewith and actuated thereby for engaging and bending the spring and opening and closing the cover.

4;. In an article of the classdescribed, the combination with a case having an end opening, of a cover, a rubber pad therein, a meta] support in the cover for the pad, a spring fulcrumed on said support, an external handle and leverage means connecting the handle with the spring inthe cover and operable to tightly clamp the cover over the case opening.

5. In an'article of the class described, the Y 6. In an article of the class described, the combination with a case having an opening, of a Waterproof cover for said opening, an externally pivoted handle, tivo series of links and levers connected With and operated by the handle to open and close the cover,` a movable holder in thecase having a spring, and an inner frame embracing` the holder and se.- cured in a spaced relation to the case.

7. In an article of the class described, the combination with a case having an opening, of a Waterproof cover i'or said opening@l an elastic cushion in said cover, a spring bear, ing on the cushion, a rectangularV extern-al. pivoted handle havin@ a cross piece' engaging the cover Whe-n closed and sid-e pieces inr tegral with the cross piece, stads in the Wall of the case to which studs the side piecesof the handle are secured, and interior series of interpivoted links connecting the stads with the cover spring so that'the handle may open and close the cover.

8. In an article of the class deSGI'ibed, the combination with a case hav-ing an opening, a cover for said opening, an inner Vframe secured to the case and ,spaced therefrom, a spring actuated holder Within the inner frame and carrying the contents of ,the case, an external handlev for the cover, and means Within the case connecting the handle with the cover to open and close said cover.

In testimony whereof I alix niv signature.

ARTHUR 10N FRANKENBER@ 

